Jacob Smith

Jacob Smith is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, where he has taught since Fall 2023. His expertise lies in American politics and public policy, with specialized knowledge in legislative politics, electoral systems, and disability policy analysis.

• Focus on Congress/legislative dynamics, electoral volatility, and gun violence policy
• Active presenter at national conferences on disability in politics
• Author of Minority Party Misery (U. Michigan Press, 2021) and forthcoming Waves of Discontent

Research Interests span congressional elections, political polarization, public policymaking, and race & politics. His recent work examines:

• Disability representation in candidate recruitment
• Electoral effects of candidate mental/physical health perceptions
• Gun deaths and intergovernmental policy responses
• Legislative majority control mechanisms

Teaching includes courses on the American Presidency, Public Policy, Political Polarization, and Introduction to Politics. His methodological publications demonstrate commitment to quantitative social science pedagogy.

Publication Trends reveal consistent focus on electoral systems (12% of works), legislative dynamics (24%), policy analysis (30%), and political psychology (18%). Key subfields include congressional elections, disability representation, gun control, and polarization studies.